Related links

Vance Opperman

Vance Opperman

President and CEO of Key Investment, Vance Opperman is a nationally recognized leader and philanthropist, serving as director on education, healthcare, law, and corporate boards and on President Clinton’s National Information Infrastructure Advisory Council.

“CRF is a good example of utilizing many of the mechanisms of the free market to close the gap and make economic opportunity available.”

Are philanthropy and self-interest mutually exclusive or infinitely compatible? It’s an old question. Opperman supports CRF because he knows the answer. “Taking care of people and being part of joint solutions to problems that affect all people is self-interested,” he says. “If you have a strong belief in free market economics and a belief that the way out of poverty is not by welfare but instead by effort and work, if you believe that the marketplace in general is the biggest engine of prosperity, then you want that to be inclusive and have all elements of society to have access to that.”

Why CRF? “I like the discipline of involving the banking community and using financial discipline about decision making and expected returns. I think that’s very healthy.”

What gives him the most personal satisfaction? “The people. Seeing the success stories.”

Founded in 1988, Community Reinvestment Fund, USA (CRF) is a national non-profit organization with a mission to empower people to improve
their lives and strengthen their communities through innovative financial solutions. A leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), CRF develops products
and services aimed at increasing the flow of capital to historically underinvested communities across the country. CRF has injected more than $2.1 billion to help stimulate
job creation and economic development, provide affordable housing, and support community facilities.